Let Me In
by ThisCatalyst'sPen
Summary: Sequel to Hear Me Scream. Three weeks after the horror the turtles faced in the sewers, they are in a desperate need for a distraction. Going out to the old farmhouse for a few weeks for a little R&R is sure to help them relax more, right? Well, that is, until they realize that something's followed them, something with deadly intentions. And it's not happy. Not happy at all…
1. Chapter 1

**~Let Me In~**

* * *

**Summary:** Sequel to Hear Me Scream. Three weeks after the horror the turtles faced in the sewers, they are in a desperate need for a distraction. Going out to the old farmhouse for a few weeks for a little R&R is sure to help them relax more, right? Well, that is, until they realize that something's followed them, something with deadly intentions. And it's not happy. Not happy at all…

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own TMNT. That right now belongs to Nickelodeon. Lucky them._

**Author's Notes: **_Wow, believe me when I say I wasn't expecting to have written this so quickly. The ideas and files for this have been sitting on my hard drive for a while now, just a little after the first few chapters of 'Hear Me Scream.' Oh well, it's a good thing that writing for the turtles is coming back quickly for me, and inspiration is running high. Please enjoy, I hope you like this just as much as you enjoyed reading 'Hear Me Scream.'_

* * *

~Chapter One~

"_Hush now baby, baby, don't you cry.__  
__Mother's gonna make all your nightmares come true.__  
__Mother's gonna put all her fears into you."__**Pink Floyd**_

* * *

**Casey** Jones was a rational man. He often made irrational decisions, especially when it came to fights, but his thoughts and personal views and beliefs on anything 'mystical' or 'fabled' were always thought with a calm, and rational mind. So the knowledge that, no longer than a month ago, four of his closest friends had been attacked by a 'demon', was a little hard for him to fathom.

Of course he believed them, he trusted the turtles more than anyone else, and if Leo and Donnie both agreed that what had attacked them was indeed a demon, Casey knew instantly that they were telling the truth. It wasn't like he would take Mikey and Raph's words any less than he would Leo's and Donnie's, Raphael was his best mate, after all, but Leo...Leo was a stoic figure. He thought of everything with a calm mindset and had a rational head on his shoulders. He believed in the power of one's strength and own abilities, which was something Casey had come to appreciate during his time spent with the turtles. And Donnie...Donnie was the smartest person Casey knew. He didn't believe in deities, or the afterlife, his mind only worked scientifically and mathematically, finding the logical explanation for anything and everything. So when Donnie agreed whole heartedly that they in fact _had _been attacked by a demon, Casey believed them without a second thought.

But the more he thought about it now as he made his way to the turtles' lair, April walking silently beside him, he couldn't help but wonder what it had been like. Casey was no stranger to nightmares. He often work during the night, slicked with sweat and out of breath, eyes round with fear as his mind raced with the things he had seen in his dream. Often a good bottle of beer, or a cigarette before bed helped with the worst of his nightmares; raging fires that engulfed his father's store, looming shadows of adolescent punks reaching out to grab him and drag him into the flames.

Yes, Casey knew what nightmares were, and was the first to sympathize to any who experienced them. That was why he was so eager to see the turtles' again. Casey still felt a pang of guilt claw his heart at not being able to come to the turtles' call sooner. He and April had gone away to Boston for two weeks for a quiet get away together. They had stayed in a beautiful motel, went out every night for dinner, and walked the streets, taking in the sights of a new place. Casey had left his phone back in his apartment, and April's had one flat three days into their trip, and she hadn't brought her phone charger with her. So it wasn't until they stumbled back into April's apartment two weeks later that they found all the missed calls on their phone, all from the guys. Playing the messages aloud, they had been shocked and frightened by what they had heard.

By the time they had managed to get a hold of the guys, their nightmare was already over. And now, walking hand in hand with April through the dark, twisting sewers to the lair, Casey couldn't suppress the cold shiver that raced down his spine, knowing that this is where it had all happened.

Leo greeted them at the door, a tired smile on his lips. Casey could see straightaway the heavy shadows under Leo's eyes, which made him look years older than he really was; a tell-tale sign to Casey that, despite the demon being gone, they were still having bad nightmares from the experience.

"Oh Leo, we are so, so sorry," April said, wrapping her arms tightly around Leo and pulling him in for a hug. "If we had known..."

"It's alright, April," Leo said, gently untangling himself from her arms, "these things happen."

"But what if one of you had been seriously hurt, or..." April trailed off, shaking her head to get rid of the thought.

Leo said nothing, his expression unreadable. "Come on," he said after a minute, "the others want to see you."

Turning he led them into the open living area. Casey couldn't help but look at everything a little closer. He knew this is where the final struggle had happened, and he was relieved to see that there were no red stains on the floor. The furniture had been placed back to where it usually sat, and Don had managed to fix the broken TV. Mikey was lying on the floor when they walked in, his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth as he immersed himself in the colourful pages of the open comic book before him. Master Splinter sat in his favourite chair, a fresh cup of tea in his hands. Don was sitting at his desk, typing away at his ever present laptop. Raphael was stretched out on the lounge, content with watching his brothers.

Casey could see that they all had dark shadows under their eyes, and felt another pang of guilt claw at his heart.

"Hey guys, how's it going?"

"Sup, Case?" Raphael greeted, turning to face his friend.

"Nothing man, glad to see that your all okay."

"Please, we could take on a hundred demons!" Mikey boosted from the floor, glancing up briefly from his comic book.

"Yeah, whatever you say, Mikey," Raphael snorted, whacking the back of Mikey's head.

"Ow! Hey!"

"Oops,"

"So how are you guys, really?" April asked, taking the spare seat across from Master Splinter.

"We are coping, Miss O'Neil," Master Splinter said, setting aside his tea. "It has been a rough couple of weeks, but we are moving forward, together as a family."

"Yeah, we only get the occasional nightmare now," Mikey said, which was promptly followed by another loud smack. "Ow, Raphie!"

"You guys are still having nightmares?" Casey frowned.

"On and off," Don said, shrugging his shoulders. "I guess that can be expected though."

Suddenly, Casey had an idea. "You guys should take a break' there's no sign of The Foot, and I haven't seen any Purple Dragon's around either. Come out to the old farmhouse for a couple of weeks, take your mind off things."

"That is a very generous offer, Mr Jones," Master Splinter said. "I believe that is a good idea. I think we could all use a breath of fresh air."

"Sounds good to me," Raphael said with a shrug.

"It would be nice to get out of the sewers for a while," Don agreed.

"What do you think, Leo?" April asked, turning her emerald gaze to the eldest.

Leo uncrossed his arms slowly, a smile curling the corners of his lips. "I think it's just what we need."

"So we really get to go? Like a holiday?" Mikey asked eagerly, his puppy-dog blue eyes shining.

"Yeah knucklehead, just like a holiday," Raphael grinned.

"Sweet! I'm going to go pack the rest of my comic books right now!" Mikey said, his face lighting up with a brilliant smile and a flash of teeth as he leapt over the couch and raced towards his bedroom.

"All right guys start packing," Casey said with a smile. "We're going on a holiday."

* * *

**A/n: **Reviews are appreciated; I'd love to know what you think so far. More to come soon.

~Cat


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes: **Thank you for all the support for that first chapter, I'm really glad you guys are enjoying this little tale ;)  
And don't worry, there will be a lot more Don and Mikey and Casey and April in this story as well :)

* * *

~Chapter Two~

_Daemonophobia- Fear of demons_

* * *

**Donatello **smiled as he followed his overzealous brothers towards the battle-shell, suitcase in hand. The idea of spending a month out at the peaceful old farmhouse made all the sleepless night of the past few weeks unimportant. Don didn't know if the nightmares would stop, or even dwindle down to a few, whilst they were out there. Chances were they were just as likely to suffer nightmares wherever their location may be. Don just hoped for his sake and his brothers' sake, that the fresh air and open home would do good for them, and help them forget about all that had happened.

"Come on guys!" Casey called, leaning out the window of the driver's seat. "Let's get moving, we have a lot of driving to do!"

"Hold your horses, we're coming," Don answered, grunting as he lifted the last bag into the back of the van.

The farmhouse was a good seven hour drive and a nice one too. Once you got out of the city, it was a scenic route for four hours of wide open country landscape; fields filled with golden canola, rolling verdant hills, and the open highway.

Shacking himself out of his pleasant daydreams, Don pulled open the door and jumped into the backseat next to Mikey. He had barely clicked his seatbelt on when Casey floored it, tires screeching as they shot off in a plume of smoke.

"Whoa, settle down ya' maniac," Raphael growled from the front seat next to Casey. 'We actually want to be _alive _when we get ta' the farmhouse."

"I don't believe it," Casey said, feigning a hurt look. "Raphael telling me not to drive like a maniac?"

"An' what's that supposed ta' mean?" Raphael demanded.

"He's saying you can't talk, Raph," Don chuckled. "You're just as bad of a driver."

"I am not a bad driver," Raphael snorted. "I'm an efficient one."

"Remind me what the definition for efficient is," Leo asked with a coy smile.

"Hey, if you keep bagging out the driver, so help me I will turn this van around!" Casey said, glaring at the turtles in the review mirror.

"I feel sorry for you, April, having to put up with this," Mikey grinned cheekily.

"Yeah, I do too, Mikey,"

"April!"

"Sorry, Casey, you know I love you," April laughed.

"Enough talk, it's time for road trip music," Raphael spoke up, inserting a CD into the player and turning up the volume dial.

"Bon Jovi?" Don asked with a raised eye-ridge. "Really?"

"Hey, Bon Jovi is a classic," Raphael said. "Respect."

"Huh, I always took you as a more 'Nirvana' kind of guy," Leo mused.

Raphael ignored him and, nodding his head along in time with the music, began to sing. "Tommy used to work on the docks, Union's been on strike, his down on his luck…it's tough, so tough. Gina works the diner all day, working for her man, she brings home her pay for love-for love,"

"You've got to be kidding me," Mikey muttered.

Casey glanced back at them from the review mirror, a smile curling his lips before he joined in. "She says we've got to hold on to what we've got, 'cause it doesn't make a difference if we make it or not, we got each other and that's a lot, for love- we'll give it a shot!"

Don couldn't help but laugh. For the first time in weeks, it felt as if all their stress, all their pent up anxieties and worries, were being washed away. Grinning, Don couldn't help but join in. "Whooah, we're half way there, whooah, livin' on a prayer, take my hand and we'll make it-I swear, whooah, livin' on a prayer!"

"Whoah, Donnie knows Bon Jovi," Raphael said, obviously impressed. "Didn't think ya' had it in ya', Braniac. Always took you as more of a Beethoven guy."

"You'd be surprised," Don smiled coyly.

Leaning his head back against the head-rest, Don sighed in content, a small smile resting on his lips as he watched his brothers' laugh and joke, feeling a sense of peace wash over him. It was a foreign feeling for the turtle, but not an unwelcome one.

* * *

**Michelangelo **woke with a jolt, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

"Hey," Donnie smiled softly, "you dozed off about an hour ago."

Mikey stretched his arms above his head, his mouth open wide in a yawn. "How much further have we got to go?"

"About four hours, give or take," Don replied, leaning back against his seat. "We're going to pull over soon. Casey wants to get some more fuel and April wants to stretch her legs."

"And get some food," Mikey said with a grin, patting his stomach. "I could go for a couple of Pepsi's and a few bags of chips."

"I'm sure you could," Don smirked, shaking his head before his expression grew serious. "How did you sleep? Did…did you have any nightmares?"

"No, nothing," Mikey replied. "I don't think I even dreamed at all."

"Huh," Don muttered, his brows furrowed, and Mikey could tell that he was deep in thought.

"Maybe taking this vacation is a good idea after all."

* * *

**A/n: **Apologies for the short chapter; but we are warming up for things to come :)

Hehe, I wanted to add the bit where they were all singing because really, what else do you do on a long car trip, lol :p Besides, it's good for the turtles to finally start relaxing and just having fun. And Bo Jovi is amazing, favorite singer without a doubt :D

~Cat


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Apologies for the absence and long wait. I'm not going to bore you to death with the details. I apologize that this is such a short chapter; it's more of a filler than anything else. I promise the next chapter will be longer and hopefully a lot more interesting.

* * *

**Michelangelo **yawned and stretched his arms above his head, blinking his eyes open to the majestic orange sky. The sun was beginning to set, casting rays of luscious pinks, royal reds, and brilliant orange streaks across the horizon. The whole world looked tanned, as if an Instagram filter had been placed over his eyes.

"Where are we?" He asked with a yawn, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"We just pulled over about five minutes ago. Casey's filling the van up," Leonardo replied from where he sat opposite from him.

"Where are the others?" Mikey asked, realizing that it was just himself and Leo in the car.

"April went to the bathroom, and Donnie and Raph went to stretch their legs."

"How much longer until we get to the farmhouse?"

"About an hour, maybe two," Leo replied.

"Hey guys, we brought provisions!" Don said happily, jumping into the van behind Raph. In his arms he held several packets of chips, seven bags of skittles, and about ten different chocolate bars.

"I'm in Heaven!" Mikey smiled, eagerly grabbing for his share of the snacks.

April and Casey hoped back into the van a moment later, and they set off again down the road towards the fading twilight. Soon, the last rays of light faded and a few stars studied the sky. The landscape started to change, leaving behind the bare paddocks of livestock, to thick mangrove trees and thick shrubby.

Michelangelo sat back and folded his arms in quiet contentment. There was no need to talk or for jokes or banter. Everyone was starting to feel the effects of the long journey, and were happy to just sit and wait until they reached the farmhouse.

Another forty minutes of silence passed before Casey turned off the main road and onto the dirt driveway that led up to the house. Mikey had never been so happy to see the farmhouse again. The old white-faded building stood just on top of a slight hill, and was surrounded on all sides by thick forests. And with the closest neighbour being several miles away, the farmhouse was as private as it could get. It was also nice to get away from the constant noise from the city that never sleeps. And Mikey always loved to see the trees and the wild flowers that grew in patches, and the long green grass. There wasn't enough green in New York.

"Okay, we're here," Casey said, coming to a stop and turning the engine off. "Finally."

Mikey eagerly scrambled out of the van and stretched his tired and cramped legs, scrunching his toes in the grass and the earth. It felt so good to be out here again, under a sky filled with stars, and smelling the fresh clean air of the countryside.

Grabbing their luggage, they made their way up to the quiet house, relived to finally be at their destination. April fiddled with the key in the lock, finally turning the handle and pushing the door open.

When they walked in they were greeted with a plume of dust that left them coughing and wiping their faces.

"Oh my God," April said, flicking on the light switch.

The sight that greeted them was not what they had expected. A thick layer of dust covered every surface of the house. The windows were covered in dirt and grime, and the roof was speckled with dirt. Cobwebs hung from various corners in the room and even covered some parts of the furniture.

"How long has it been since we were last here?" Raphael asked, looking wearily at one of the cobwebs in the corner.

"About four months, probably longer," Casey replied. "We haven't been here since last summer."

"This place definitely needs a tidy up, that's for sure," April said, shaking her head at the mess.

"Yes," Master Splinter agreed with a nod, "but not tonight. We are all tired and weary from our journey. Come; let us have a simple meal before bed. We will clean in the morning."

"Sounds good," Leo said. "Come on; let's go chuck our stuff somewhere."

"I'll see what we have in the kitchen," April said.

Twenty minutes they were all huddled together on a blanket they had placed over the dust on the floor, eating bowels of tinned spaghetti.

"How old is this spaghetti anyway?" Casey asked through a mouthful of said spaghetti.

"Don't know," April replied, "there was too much dust on the cans to read the expiration date."

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to hit the hay," Raph said, getting to feet.

"Yes, I do believe that it is time we get some rest," Master Splinter agreed.

Yawning, Michelangelo stretched his arms above his head, before heading up the old, creaky stairs to the room he shared with Raph. They were all tired, and worn out from the journey, but Mikey had a sickening feeling that, come first light tomorrow, they would spend a full day of cleaning.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/n: **Hey guys, thanks for all the feedback so far; I'm glad you're all enjoying the sequel. I think this is coming along nicely so far. I've had a bit of inspiration lately, so the next chapter has already been written, so expect to see that posted around Saturday maybe if all goes well. I still feel pretty creative, so I think I'll try and write chapter six tonight as well. Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing!

~Cat

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**April **yawned and stretched her arms above her head in a luxurious stretch. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes and slipping on her white bunny slippers, April shuffled down to the kitchen. She had had a wonderful sleep, and was sure everyone else had as well. Despite the dust, she had fallen asleep as soon as her head had touched the pillow. And she had slept dreamless for a solid nine hours, a new record for her. The long drive yesterday, plus her amounting stress, had made her eyes droop with exhaustion. Now though, she felt like she could run a marathon in under sixty minutes.

Entering the kitchen, the rich smells of warm butter and maple syrup hit April's nose.

"Something smells delicious," she said upon entering the room, her stomach already beginning to growl.

Mikey looked up from where he was bent over a saucepan, and smiled at April. "I found some flour and milk in the cellar, still in date of course. And as luck would have it, butter and maple syrup."

"I can't believe you cooked pancakes, Mikey," April said, smelling the home-cooked pancakes appreciatively. "And found ingredients to make them!"

"You know me," Mikey shrugged, a blush tinging his cheeks, "I love to cook."

"And _we _love it when you cook!" April laughed. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No thanks, April, I'm nearly done. This is the last batch. Sit down," Mikey said; gesturing with his spatula at the kitchen table, which looked like it had been wiped free from dust.

"Thanks, Mikey," April smiled, taking a seat.

"What smells so good?" Leo asked, walking into the kitchen with Master Splinter.

"Mikey's making pancakes," April grinned.

"Nice work, Mikey," Leo said, taking a seat opposite April. "It smells amazing."

"I know," Mikey said with a self-satisfied grin.

"Where's Casey and Raph?" April asked.

"They went for a walk; couldn't stand the dust anymore," Leo explained.

"Well, they better hurry back before all the pancakes are gone," April smiled as Mikey set a plate piled high with pancakes on the table in front of them.

"Their loss," Mikey shrugged, grabbing several pancakes for himself. Picking up the bottle of maple syrup, he proceeded to tip half of the contents onto his pile of pancakes.

The sound of the front door closing was quickly followed by Casey and Raphael.

"I distinctly heard someone say something about pancakes," Casey said upon entering the room.

"You heard correct, Mr Jones," Master Splinter said, looking up from his pancakes, traces of butter caught on his whiskers.

Quickly taking a seat, Casey and Raph helped themselves to the last of the pancakes.

"Okay guys," April cleared her throat and pulled a piece of paper from her pocket. "Last night I wrote a quick list of chores for today. We cannot stay here with the house so filthy."

"Awe, but I don't wanna do chores," Mikey groaned.

"If everyone does something than it won't take long," April said sternly. "Now, I'm going down town to get some supplies. We can't live off pancakes and canned spaghetti forever. Casey, your job will be to mow the lawn."

"But there's so much lawn," Casey complained.

"There's a ride on mower in the shed. All you have to do is sit. Not a hard job for you to do," April said with a raised eyebrow. "Now, Raphael, you will be sweeping the second floor."

April chose to ignore him when he muttered something about stupid brooms under his breath.

"Master Splinter, would you mind going into the forest to pick some fruit?"

"It would be my pleasure, Miss O'Neil," Master Splinter smiled.

"Okay, Leo and Don, you guys are cleaning the windows and sweeping the front porch. And Mikey, I need you to vacuum and dust the living area. I'll clean the kitchen when I get back."

"Ugh, do we have to?" Mikey moaned, looking up at April with his puppy dog eyes.

April didn't fall for it. "Yes, Mikey, and the sooner you stop complaining about it and actually do it, the quicker it will be over." Softening her voices, April added, "besides, tomorrow we can do fun things all day. We might even go for a swim in the lake if the weather's nice."

"Yahoo!" Mikey exclaimed happily, jumping to his feet and nearly up-turning the table. "Come on guys, let's get to work!" he cried before disappearing from the room.

* * *

**Mikey **hummed to himself in contentment as he dusted the living room. He was quite shocked to find, that he didn't actually mind cleaning. In fact, he was starting to _enjoy _it. It was quiet, and though Mikey didn't usually like the quiet, he found the solace to be calming, and was able to think without interruption. Right now he was thinking about tomorrow when they would be able to go swimming in the lake. Mikey loved swimming, and hadn't been in the water for quite some time. He missed the feel of the cool water lapping at his skin, of pushing effortlessly through the water and looking at the wonder that lye just beneath the surface.

Mikey sighed happily, a smile already forming on his lips. He defiantly couldn't wait.

Moving over to the large wooden cabinet against the wall, Mikey started to dust aside the cobwebs that had built up there.

A noise, so quiet that he nearly didn't hear it, made Mikey pause. The sound came again, a little louder this time.

"What the..." Mikey muttered to himself, setting the duster aside.

The sound came again, a scratching in the walls. Mikey pressed his ear to the wall, holding his breath as he listened carefully. Another scratch.

Mikey pulled away with a frown. The noise was familiar.

Picking his duster back up, Mikey continued to dust around the room. "Looks like we have rats," he said to himself and continued to clean.


	5. Chapter 5

**-Chapter Five-**

**Raphael **grumbled to himself over the noise of the vacuum. Unlike Mikey, he was _not _enjoying the spring clean. He was bored and had too much energy to be wasting it on pushing a vacuum around the house all day. He wanted to outside, under the majestic sky and in the warm sun, sun he barely saw or felt in New York. He wanted to be running through the grass, or sparing with his brothers, pretty much anything other than cleaning. He hated cleaning.

He was currently vacuuming the room that he was sharing with Mikey. He had been vacuuming for at least fifteen minutes already, and he still had to do Leo and Don's room and Casey's room.

Raphael sighed and looked around the small and quaint room. The wallpaper was starting to fade and peel from the wall in some places. The windows were grimy and looked like they wouldn't budge, no matter how much elbow grease was used. The faded red curtains were patterned with cobwebs, and the old wardrobe in the corner of the room was covered in a fine layer of dust.

A sudden _smash _made Raphael whirl around in surprise, his heart leaping in his chest. One of the bedside lamps had fallen to the floor and smashing on impact. Shards of green porcelain littered the floor, as what remained of the lamp rolled haphazardly across the floor.

Raphael frowned. Turning the vacuum off, he advanced slowly towards the lamp, trying to understand how it could have possibly fallen off the bedside table in the first place. The windows were jammed closed, there was no breeze from the open door, and he had been nowhere near the lamp to accidentally knock it over.

Perplexed and scratching his head, Raphael went downstairs to get a dustpan and broom.

* * *

"Pass me the sponge please?" Donnie asked Leo from where was rinsing off one of the windows.

They had been cleaning the outside of the first-floor windows for a little over half an hour now, and unlike his other brothers, Don was finding it very relaxing. He loved the peace and quiet, and the repetitive, mundane activity allowed for his brain to wander and focus on more important things, like blue-prints and schematics and chemical compounds that could blow things up.

"It's nice to finally get away from everything, you know?" Leo said from where he was cleaning the window next to Don.

"Yeah, I never thought I could get sick of my office, but…" Don trailed off.

"I know what you mean," Leo said quietly.

Donnie turned and looked at Leo in shock. "You mean…you feel it too?" He asked quietly.

Leo nodded. "I know Diego's gone and everything but…sometimes I still feel like something's watching me," Leo said. "I can't focus on meditating anymore, because sometimes it feels like something is watching me from the other end of the room."

"I guess none of us like being alone anymore," Don sighed. "Though don't tell Raph that, he would never admit to anything."

"I think it's affecting him the most," Leo said hesitantly. Don could tell that he had been thinking awhile about Raph and the affects the demon attack had had on him.

"I agree," Don said slowly. "He hasn't been the same since…you know."

"Yeah," Leo sighed. "I know. But he won't talk to anyone about it. It's like he's trying to forget the whole thing even happened."

"I don't blame him," Don said, absently washing one of the windows. "I try to forget about it too."

"I know, but…"

"If he wants to talk about it, he will," Don said gently. "But for now I think he just needs his space."

"Yeah, you're right Donny, you always are," Leo sighed.

Don said nothing, returning his attention back to the window in front of him. That's when a pale, contorted face started back at him from inside the house, mouth opened wide in a grotesque and silent scream.

"Shit!" Don dropped his bucket of water and leapt back from the window, his heart racing wildly in his chest.

"Donny? Donny, what's the matter?" Leo asked, placing a calming hand on Don's shoulder.

Don looked back at the window, the face gone. "Nothing," he said after a moment. "I just…thought I saw something, that's all."

Leo raised an eye-ridge, but said nothing more. Instead, he went to refill Don's upturned bucket.

They worked the rest of the day in silence.

* * *

Later that night, April collapsed in exhaustion on the freshly cleaned lounge, her red hair messy and dishevelled. The turtles and Casey had also collapsed on the floor in weary-eyed exhaustion. Master Splinter seemed to be the only one who wasn't tired, sitting calmly in his chair.

"So," April said, sitting up straighter, "how did the cleaning go?"

"Long," Raphael grumbled.

"Uneventful," Leo said.

"Fine," Don replied.

"Boring," Mikey supplied. "Strange," he added as an afterthought.

"How was it strange, Mikey?" April asked with a frown.

"I kept hearing this sound in the wall," Mikey explained. "Like rats. Oh… sorry Sensei."

"It wouldn't surprise me," April said. "This house has been empty for a while now. Plenty of time for rats and other creatures to make their home."

"A lamp fell over while I was vacuuming," Raphael spoke up. "And I wasn't anywhere near it."

"I…I thought I saw something in the window I was cleaning today," Don admitted quietly, a soft blush tinging his cheeks.

"It's an old house," April said. "And you're all tired. You were probably just seeing things Donnie," she added gently.

"Yeah," Don whispered in reluctant agreement.

"And Raph, the floors are old, you could have caused a movement that rocked the lamp off the table," April continued.

"Yeah, probably," Raphael muttered, eyes glued to the floor.

"I think, my sons, that you are all still tired from our journey," Master Splinter spoke up, getting gently to his feet. "You have worked hard today, now your bodies and minds need rest."

"Hai, Sensei," Leo nodded.

"Get some rest guys," April smiled. "Tomorrow we can have some fun."

Raphael got to his and followed Mikey to the room they shared, and stared at the table the broken lamp once occupied. He didn't believe what April had said about the floor, but try as he might, he couldn't think of a better explanation.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Leo** was up early the next morning, excited about the prospect of swimming. He had slept like a log, not waking once during the night. He couldn't even remember if he had dreamt. It had been one of the best sleeps he had had in a long time. He had awoken at seven, the warm sun spilling golden rays of warmth across his bed. Birds chirped outside, and the inviting blue sky promised a warm day. Stretching, Leo tied his mask around his eyes, letting the warm sun wash over him. Donny was still asleep in his bed, his face peaceful and content in slumber. Leo didn't want to wake him, but he could hear Mikey in the next room jumping up and down on Raphael's bed in an attempt to wake the hot-head up.

"Donny," Leo whispered, shaking his shoulder gently.

"Huh-what?" Don blinked, looking bleary-eyed up at Leo. "Is it time to get up?"

"Mikey has just woken up Raph," Leo explained with a smile. "I thought I'd save you before he came in here and jumped on your bed too."

"Good plan," Don smiled, stretching his arms above his head. "Beautiful day," he commented, looking out the window at the blue sky.

"Should be perfect weather for swimming," Leo agreed.

They made their way down to the kitchen to find an exuberant Mikey already jumping up and down around a still tired Raphael. Master Splinter was sitting calmly at the kitchen table, ignoring his son's bouncing energy.

"Morning guys," Don greeted, giving Mikey a levelled look.

"We're going swimming, we're going swimming!" Mikey chanted, dancing around the room.

"We know," Raphael growled, seconds away from pummelling his brother. "The whole of New York probably knows."

Mikey stuck his tongue out at Raphael, not letting his brother's early morning mood damper his elevated spirits.

"Glad to see you guys are ready," April said with a smile, walking into the kitchen, already packed and ready to go.

"Are you kidding? I've been ready since five-thirty this morning!" Mikey exclaimed, his blue eyes bright with unrelished excitement.

"Yeah," Raphael grumbled, looking like he was moments away from slogging Mikey round the head, "you jumped up and down on my bed, like a _child_."

"Well, excuse me for having a fun bone in my body," Mikey retorted with a pout.

"Come on guys, let's not fight," Leo cut in, stepping in-between his brothers.

"Leo's right," April added, "it's such a lovely day. I've packed us a breakfast and lunch. Let's go and eat down by the lake."

"That is the most sensible thing I have heard all morning," Master Splinter smiled.

* * *

"Cowbunga!"

"Agh, Mikey! What did I say about splashing?"

"Oh lighten up, Raph," Mikey smiled, bobbing in the water. "Live a little."

The day was bright and the turtles' spirits were light. A magnificent azure sky stretched on forever over their heads, not a cloud in sight. The sun warmed the soft grass and dappled the crystal water. An old oak tree provided cooling shade on the edge of the lake, where April and Master Splinter were lying with contentment on a spread out picnic blanket. The four turtles and Casey had been quick to jump into the water, and were now happily swimming around.

"You want me to live a little?" Raphael growled, though a smile curled his lips. "Fine." Propelling himself through the water, he launched himself at Michelangelo, grabbing him and pushing him under the water.

"Ahhh! No, Raph!" Mikey squealed as he was pushed under the water.

"Be careful with him, Raph," Donnie called out. "He's delicate."

"Ah, children, you two must be so proud," Casey joked as he lazily swum past Leo and Don.

"Trust me, at times I think they are children," Leo shook his head.

Casey chuckled and continued to swim further out into the lake. The water was nice and cool without being too cold. It felt great to unwind, and going for a swim on a beautiful day with his best mates, Casey couldn't think of a better way to get some much needed rest and relaxation. He only hoped that the turtles were as relaxed as he was. They needed it more than he did, especially after what had happened with the demon.

Casey was about to swim back over to the shore to grab a bite to eat, when he felt something grab his ankle.

"What-ahh!"

Casey waved his arms wildly as whatever had grabbed him suddenly pulled him under the water. A stream of bubbles raced past his face as he was dragged further and further towards the depths. The water grew murky and dark; Casey couldn't see what had a hold of him, but whatever it was, it was strong, very strong. He reached down, blindly trying to free himself from whatever held him by his ankle. His chest started to hurt, and Casey realized with a jolt of fear that he desperately needed oxygen.

He couldn't tell which way was up or down. He was going to drown.

Strong hands suddenly grabbed him under the arms and started to pull him up. Casey broke the surface with a gasp, desperately sucking in the much needed oxygen.

"Casey! Casey, are you ok?"

Casey blinked water from his eyes, Raphael materializing in front of him, his eyes wide with fear and worry.

"Yeah, yeah I'm okay," Casey coughed, his body feeling suddenly drained of energy.

As if sensing this, Raphael swum forward and wrapped his arm around Casey.

"Thanks bro," Casey murmured.

"What happened, Casey?" Leo asked, concern evident on his features.

"I don't know," Casey said honestly. "One moment I was swimming and the next something grabbed me by the ankle and pulled me under."

"There aren't any alligators in here, are there?" Mikey asked, his voice turning into a frightened squeak as he scanned the water around him, looking for any signs of alligators.

"No, Mikey, there aren't any alligators in here," Don sighed, swimming into view. "In fact, there's nothing in here but a few small species of fish."

"Than what grabbed Casey?" Raphael demanded.

"This," Don said, holding up a long green weed. "I unwrapped it from around your ankle. You must have swum into a deep patch of pond weed and got your foot caught," Donnie explained. "When you struggled the weed got tighter."

"Few, that's a relief to hear," Mikey sighed, obviously glad there were no alligators.

Casey shook his head in disbelief, his heart still racing wildly in his chest. Raphael noticed this, and a look of concern flashed across his face.

"Casey, you sure you're okay man?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Casey assured him. "It's just..."

"Just what, Case?"

"It didn't feel like pond weed," Casey confessed. "What grabbed me, it felt like a hand."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

-April-

April sighed in frustration, glaring at the annoying stain that wouldn't come off the bathroom mirror.

Two hours had passed since Casey had gotten himself tangled up in pondweed, and after that experience, no one really felt like swimming anymore. So they had packed up and silently trekked back to the farmhouse to spend the remainder of the day.

April had been scared; Casey was her boyfriend, and he had nearly drowned. When they had reached the farmhouse, she had pulled him aside and hugged him furiously, trying to push aside the thoughts that kept plaguing her, as she wondered what could have happened if Donnie and the others weren't there to have freed Casey's leg from the weed. She could have lost him.

After many reassurances, and "I'm fine babes," April had quickly retired to the bathroom, muttering excuses about 'needing to clean' and ignoring the turtles' concerned looks. She needed to do something to keep herself busy, to keep her thoughts at bay. And the bathroom needed cleaning, so April laminated that it was the perfect thing to do. However she hadn't anticipated that there would be an abundance of annoying stains gracing the shower and the mirror and the sink.

Stains aside, the bathroom was rather cramped. The bathroom window was stuck, and would not open, and the room smelt strongly of mould and mildew. The stench of April's cleaning chemicals was starting to make her feel a little light-headed, and her back ached from crouching over for an extended period of time.

Blowing the strands of stray hair out of her eyes, April got to her feet and stretched, cracking her head from side to side to get rid of the growing aches and pains. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. She looked like she had aged five years over-night. Her clothes were rumpled and her face drawn and tired, her eyes worn and despondent. Shadows hugged her eyes and her fire-engine-red hair stuck out all over the place, Strands fell messily in front of her eyes and over her face. Telling herself that she was still only twenty five, April bent down and picked up her cleaning bucket, forgetting the stubborn stain on the floor and moving over to the mirror.

Trying to ignore her own reflection and pretend that it wasn't there altogether, April started to spray the mirror with glass-cleaner. Watching the suds roll down the pane of glass, April picked up her cleaning rag and began to wipe down the mirror.

It was a boring, mundane job, but it was effective with taking her mind off of things.

Glancing briefly back into the mirror, April tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. A sudden movement caught her attention, making April gasp and whirl around. The bathroom was empty; just her and several cleaning products scattered across the floor. Trying to regain her startled breath, April turned slowly back around towards the mirror and studied it intently. She could have sworn she saw a black shadow flicker past, reflected clearly in the glass. Shaking her head and rubbing her eyes, April silently admonished herself for being stupid, and put it all down to being tired and inhaling to many cleaning product fumes.

Picking up her fallen cleaning cloth, April turned back to the mirror and continued to wipe it down. A chill, not present before, suddenly made April shiver. The room felt colder, like there was a cold draft caressing her now icy skin. But the window was stuck firmly closed, and the door to the bathroom was also closed. Wondering if she was going crazy, April frowned at the mirror, and tried to convince herself that it was an old house, and cold spots were to be expected.

There was another flash in the mirror, unmistakable. April gasped and stumbled away from the glass, whirling round to face whatever was in the room with her. The lights overhead flickered and suddenly cut out, plunging April into darkness.

April tried to slow her racing heartbeat down. She couldn't see a thing. _It was just a power failure, just a power failure, _April told herself over and over again as she slowly felt around for the light switch.

A pain flared to life in her left check, making April cry out in hurt and surprise. The lights flickered back on, just as quickly as they had flickered off. April stood dumbfounded in the middle of the empty bathroom, clutching her cheek. When she pulled her hand back it was stained with her blood. Her cheek stung, and, turning around to look in the mirror, April gasped when she saw the grooves cut into her cheek, like she had been scratched.

* * *

"Hold still, this will sting a little," Donatello warned, gently cleaning the cuts on April's cheek with an alcohol-based antiseptic.

"Ow!" April hissed at the sting, trying to keep her face still.

"Sorry," Donnie apologised.

"It's okay, not your fault," April sighed.

"Who did this to you, April?" Donnie asked gently, kneeling down next to the chair she was sitting on.

"I don't know," April said. "I know I must be crazy. I was cleaning and I thought I saw something in the mirror, and when I turned around to look the lights went out. That's when something scratched me. The lights came back on and I was alone. I'm crazy, aren't I?"

"No, April, you're not crazy," Donnie reassured her, placing his hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "You're not crazy at all."

"Yeah, it must have been a rat or a possum or something," April sighed, leaning back against the chair, unconvinced.

"Miss O'Neil, would you mind if I..?"

"No, of course not, Master Splinter."

Master Splinter gently tilted April's head pack, inspecting the cuts on her cheek with close scrutiny. Stepping back, Master Splinter felt his worst fears arise.

"It truly is a mystery," he said allowed.

A lie, he knew it was a lie, but he was not yet ready to say allowed what he feared, no, what he _knew _was the cause. He didn't wish to upset April further, and didn't wish to speak his fears in front of Donatello. But he knew, with a sickening heart, that the scratches on April's face were very familiar.

They were the marks Diego left behind.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/n: **I apologise for the wait for this chapter. Stupid school and stupid exams -_-

The perks of being a senior, right? Anyway, brace yourselves, for things are about to get, well, get a little bit darker…

* * *

Chapter Eight

-Raphael-

Raphael sighed and got wearily to his feet. He was covered from head to toe in grease and motor oil. He had spent the entire day with Casey in the old barnyard, working on an old car that used to belong to Casey's father. It didn't run anymore, it didn't even turn on. But it was nice, Raphael thought, spending the day with Casey, getting a little dirty, and just fiddling around with the car. They hadn't talked, apart from the occasional comment here and there. It had been nice, relaxing, and just what Raphael needed.

However, what he needed right now, was a shower.

"Well, I'm calling it a day," Raphael said, getting to his feet and stretching his cramped muscles. "Wanna work on it a little more tomorrow?"

"Sure," Casey said, his own clothes covered with grease and oil. "It's nice to just hang for a while, you know?"

"Yeah, it's been awhile," Raphael agreed.

"When we get back to New York, you and I are going to bust some heads," Casey said with a smile.

"Sounds like a plan," Raphael grinned, the idea of racing across the rooftops under the stars and bashing heads with his best mate sounded like just what the doctor ordered.

"Well, I'm going to go see if April needs any help in the garden," Casey spoke up.

April and Mikey had been busy weeding and watering the gardens all day, and wanted to plant some new seeds.

"You do that," Raphael said. "I'm hitting the showers."

"Good idea, looks like you got vomited on by a squid," Casey smirked.

"Least I don't look like I got run over by a hundred year old tractor that pisses oil," Raphael shot back with a grin.

Still in high spirits, Raphael headed back into the house, being careful not to leave any grease on the floor; he could imagine April's face if he did.

The sun was just starting to set over the horizon, the first rays of orange and gold streaking across the sky. Raphael admired the view from the bathroom window before stripping off his knee and elbow guards. Untying his mask he placed it and his Sai carefully on the bathroom sink, and hopped into the small shower/bath.

Raphael turned on the taps and sighed as a stream of hot water rolled down his shoulders. The feel of the warm water cascading down his body made Raphael close his eyes in tranquillity. It felt like the water was washing all his stress and anxieties away, leaving him feeling deeply relaxed. The bad dreams, the memories from the demon encounter, the strange voices he sometimes thought he heard, all dissipated in the warm steam that shrouded the room like mist.

The sound of nails scratching on glass made Raphael snap his eyes open. He stared, horror-struck, as words slowly began to form in the fog on the mirror;

_I found you_

Before Raphael could comprehend what was happening, one of his Sai floated in the air, like it was being wielded by an invisible being. Then, quick as a flash, it was thrown straight at him. Raphael didn't have any time to move and screamed as his Sai imbedded deeply in his thigh. Stumbling, he fell back in the bath, clutching the wound, and watching as his blood mixed with the water from the shower and disappeared down the drain.

His whole leg felt like it was on fire. The pain was immense, and throbbed from his hip all the way down to the tips of his toes. The Sai was imbedded all the way to the red-clad hilt. Gnashing his teeth in pain, Raphael dared to rest a hand on the imbedded Sai. Mustering up the courage, he curled his fingers around it and gave a hesitant pull.

And screamed.

A wave of nausea hit him, hard as a tsunami wave, and he felt like he was going to pass out. Black dots danced in his vision and his world spun around him. He cleared his throat as best he could, and was about to call for help, when the detachable showerhead snaked around his chest and around his neck.

Raphael gasped, his hands automatically flying up to where the cord was wrapped tightly around his neck, struggling vainly to free himself. It felt like he was being squeezed to death by a boa constrictor. His ribs ached to the point where Raphael briefly wondered if they were broken.

He couldn't breathe, couldn't pull the cord off of him. He scrambled around desperately, trying to suck in a breath of much needed oxygen, but failed. His lungs felt like they were about to burst, and Raphael realized, with a sinking feeling in the pit of stomach, that he was going to die.

The sound of manic laughter filled the room, and Raphael managed to turn his head slightly to the side. Diego was crouched down next to Raphael, his eyes completely black and his face smeared with blood.

Raphael felt his heart leap into his throat. This wasn't right; he had to be seeing things. They had killed Diego! He couldn't be here, it was a trick!

"It's not a trick, Raphie," Diego smiled, revealing row after row of sharp, glistening teeth. "It's all real. You can't get rid of me that easily."

His vision was growing hazy, and his head felt light from blood loss. He was going to pass out. He had to get this stupid cord off of him, and quickly!

"I'll see you in Hell, Raphie," Diego smiled. "A turtle like you, that's where you belong."

And just like that, he disappeared.

The last drop of energy left Raphael's body. His eyes grew heavy, and his hands flopped limply to his sides. He thought he could hear voices dimly in the distance, but he was probably imaging things in his delusional state.

His world went black.

* * *

**A/n: **I apologize for leaving you all off at another cliffie, (I'm mean like that!)

I know you all knew that this wasn't going to be a nice little fluffy fic with a bit of suspense thrown in here and there; this story thrives of suspense! So yes, Diego is back, yes Raphael is very badly hurt, and yes, there will probably be a lot more questions raised, and new plots thrown at you, in typical Cat-style ;)

Thank you for all the reviews and feedback thus far; I am so thrilled that you are enjoying this :D

Until the next time,

~Cat


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

-Leonardo-

**Leo** tipped his head back and sighed in contentment. He hadn't felt so relaxed in what felt like years. The sun was fading away for the night, streaking the sky like an artist's easel; painted with beautiful gold and oranges, lavish reds, tinted rosy pinks, and dotted here and there with a soft baby blue. A gentle wind caressed the coming dusk. Crickets buzzed their nightly lullaby under a grassy rooftop. Leon had never seen such beauty. Growing up in a city that was constantly congested with traffic, filled with sky-high buildings and painted with graffiti, the simplest form of nature, like dusk on a farm, was more beautiful than most could comprehend.

It had been a calm and relaxing day. Leo had gone for a walk with Master Splinter, picked a bunch of fresh apples and meditated by the stream. When he had gotten back to the farmhouse, he had sat down on the porch, where he still sat now, and watched Mikey and April garden. Casey and Raph had been working in the barn all day fixing up an old car and Don had been content to kick back and read for most of the day.

"What a day," April smiled, climbing up onto the porch and lowering herself down next to Leo.

"Yes, very relaxing," Leo agreed with his own smile. "Did you get much planted?"

"Yeah, we managed to get all the weeds and plant some strawberries and watermelons. Hopefully they will be ready for harvesting next time we come out here."

"Sounds great, I'm looking forward to it."

"How are you, really?" April asked sincerely, her jade green eyes kind and compassionate.

"I'm doing okay," Leo said, knowing full well what April meant. "It's been hard at times, but I think what we really needed was this little holiday. I can't thank you and Casey enough."

"Hey, you don't need to thank us," April said. "We are more than happy too. Besides, we weren't here when...when it happened, so we owe you."

"No, you don't, it's not your fault," Leo said firmly, meeting April's eyes. "No one could have been prepared for it, and we certainly didn't want to drag you and Casey into it."

"Still, I wish we could have helped," April murmured.

"You have," Leo assured her. "Bringing us here...we would all still be having nightmares if we were back in the lair."

"Well, I'm glad you're getting better, I can't even imagine what it was like."

"Trust me, you don't want to," Leo shuddered, trying not to let his mind wander back to the past. It was better left buried.

"Hey guys," Casey greeted, plonking down next to April. His hair was almost black he was stained that much with grease and oil.

"Wow, you look like you've been busy," April commented, taking in her boyfriend's appearance.

"I reckon," Casey chuckled. "Fixing cars is not a job for those who like to be clean."

"Where's Raph?" Leo asked, looking around for the red-banded turtle.

"He was worse than I am, gone up to have a shower a few minutes ago," Casey replied.

"Well, as long as he didn't drag any mud into the house with him," April said.

A bloodcurdling scream split the air, drowning out the peaceful mantra of the crickets. Leo felt all the blood drain from his face as dread clenched his gut like a clawed hand.

"Raph,"

Leaping to his feet he ran into the house, taking the stairs three at a time. A familiar feeling had wrapped itself around Leo's shoulders, like a coiling snake. He couldn't describe it, but it felt sinisterly familiar. Reaching the bathroom, Leo grabbed the doorhandle and pulled with all his might. It was locked.

"Damn it!" Leo cursed.

"What's going on?" Mikey asked, panting as he ran up the stairs, followed by the others.

"Stand back!" Leo ordered. He took a step back and kicked the door, breaking it off its hinges.

Racing into the bathroom, Leo was frozen momentarily in shock at the sight that greeted him.

Raphael lay haphazardly in what was once a white bathtub. Blood stained the porcelain surface a deep red. The little amount of water still in the tub had turned a dark red to match the bathtub. Raphael's sai was embedded all the way to the hilt in his thigh. Blood cascaded down his legs in bloody rivulets. Raphael's face was deathly pale, and his once bright amber eyes were wide with fear as he struggled weakly with the showerhead cord that was wrapped tightly around his chest and neck.

Shaking off his horror, Leo ran to his brother, kneeling down next to him. Wrapping his hands around the cord that snaked around his neck, Leo pulled, desperately trying to free his brother. But the cord was too tight; Leo could hardly get a finger under it. Don and Mikey quickly knelt down beside Leo, both trying to pull the cord free from around Raphael's chest. Raphael struggled to breathe, his movements stilling as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

"Get back!" Leo yelled, unsheathing a katanna. With a careful, practised move, Leo sliced across the cord in quick succession. Dropping the katanna, Leo pulled his brother's body into a sitting position as he quickly unwrapped the cord from his neck and chest. Large red welts cut into his skin from where the cord had been wound tightly. Bruises dotted his flesh in sickly shades of black and blue.

"He's alive," Don confirmed, feeling for a pulse. "But he's gone into shock. We need to move him, now."

Carefully, the three brothers lifted Raphael free from the blood-stained tub and followed April, Casey and Master Splinter to the spare room. Gently placing Raphael on the bed, Don proceeded to inspect Raphael's leg wound.

"Put a blanket over him; he needs to be warm," Don briskly instructed Leo, who hurried to comply. "April, I need you to get the first aid kit from my room."

"Yes, Donnie," April said and quickly hurried out of the room.

"Mikey, I need you to get me some towels and a bucket of hot water."

However before Mikey could dash away to fulfil Donatello's requests, a loud thump sounded from the living room. Everyone paused, frozen at the sudden sound.

"What is it?" Casey whispered, a tendril of fear racing down his spine.

"We are no alone," Master Splinter said gravely. "I sense a presence, an evil presence."

"It's the demon," Leo whispered in horror. "It followed us."

* * *

**A/n: Dun dun dunnnnn! Things are starting to heat up!**


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10_

**Donatello** blinked in shock. "Followed us? I thought we killed it?"

"We must have only weakened it," Master Splinter rasped. "It is much stronger than I first believed."

"What do we do?" Mikey asked his baby blue eyes wide with panic. "It can get inside our heads at any moment. It might already be inside one of us!"

"Calm down, Mikey," Don tried to sooth his youngest brother. "I don't think Diego's inside our heads. Not yet anyway."

"He did this to Raph," Leo whispered, looking down at his unconscious brother. "For that he must pay."

"So what do we do?" Mikey asked, determination steeling his voice.

"We kill him, once and for all this time," Leo said grimly. "We need to find out how to kill a demon. Don, that's your department."

Don nodded. "Once I've cleaned up Raph's wound, I'll look. Lucky I brought my laptop with me."

"What do we do?" Mikey asked, turning his eyes to Leo.

"We wait," Leo said. "At least until Don's figured out how to kill it. Then we hunt down Diego and make him wish he were back in Hell."

* * *

Forty minutes later, Don had a solution.

"Okay, this is what I got, mind you I don't know how legit it is," Don said, pulling away from the computer screen and rubbing his tired eyes. "Most of the stuff I found was mediocre at best, but I think I finally found something useful."

"Go on," Leo prompted.

"It's not good, I'm afraid," Don began seriously. "If what I found is legit, then I don't like our chances."

"Why Donnie, what is it?" Mikey asked tentavily, his eyes torn between looking at Don and looking down at his unconscious brother in the bed beside him.

"This Diego, as we know, is not our brother, nor his he something in our heads. We know that he is a demon, though he is not just any demon, as I first came to believe. He's an Arch Demon."

"What's an Arch Demon?" Mikey whispered. "Is that bad?"

"An Arch Demon is a very, very powerful demon- nearly at the top of Hell's hierarchy."

"So does that mean all Arch Demons can get inside people's heads, like Diego does?" Leo asked.

"No, only Diego can, or should I say, Carniveau, which is his real name. The reason why Carniveau can get inside our minds is because he is, in fact, the Prince of Possession."

"So that's why Diego- ah, Carniveau is so powerful," Leo murmured.

"Yes, which makes him a lot harder to kill," Don said grimly.

"So I'm guessing throwing salt on him won't work this time?" Mikey asked.

"No," Don shook his head. "Salt only weakens him, as it is said to be a purifier. If we want to rid ourselves of Carniveau once and for all, we need a spell."

"A spell?" Casey asked, speaking up for the first time. "Like a magic spell?"

"No, a dark, ancient spell," Don clarified.

"Well, can you get this spell, Donnie?" Leo asked.

"I don't know," Don said honestly. "It's a very old spell, not to mention a complex one written in Latin. I'm sure I have an old tome of a book back in the sewers about demon lore, for interest reading I had at the time. That book may have something useful in it- but for now I'm afraid it's not possible."

"Then how do we get Carniveau back to the Lair?" Mikey asked.

"We need to leave-now. Pack up all of our things and get back to the Lair as quickly as we can. Hopefully, Carniveau will follow."

"Wait, how did this demon, Carniveau or whatever, manage to leave Hell in the first place?" Casey asked.

"That is a question I have asking myself for days now," Don confessed. "I haven't got a clue."

"Alright, let's not waste any more time," Leo spoke up. "We do as Don says, we leave now. Don and Mikey, you go downstairs- make as much noise as you can, but be careful; we only want Diego to know that we are leaving, we don't want him to try and stop us so be quick. Master Splinter and I will move around the top floor. Casey, you bring the van up as close as you can to the house. And April, I need you to watch Raphael until we get back. If anything happens, scream, and we'll come running. Now, is everyone clear on the plan?"

Everyone nodded.

"Good, then let's go."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

_Leonardo_

Leo stood guard over Raphael's bed, watching as Donnie and Mikey made their way downstairs with hurried footsteps.

Taking a deep breath, Leo prepared himself for the oncoming battle he knew was coming. He had a bad feeling in his gut, one that clawed its way up his spine and coiled around his heart.

"Leo..."

Leo jumped, startled as his thoughts were broken by a broken, raspy voice. Raphael's were open, only just. Leo could only see a small slit of amber staring back up at him.

"Raph, what is?" Leo asked, kneeling down beside his wounded brother.

"I...I'm sorry," Raphael murmured, a fine sheen of sweat standing out on his pale skin.

"Sorry for what, Raph?" Leo frowned in confusion. "You didn't do anything."

"Before the demon started...attacking us...I was always fighting you," Raphael explained, his face scrunched up in obvious pain.

"Sshh, it's okay, Raph, don't talk," Leo soothed.

"No, let me tell you. I'm sorry, Leo, I don't mean to fight you all the time. I don't know why I do- you're my brother, and I love you."

"I love you too, Raph," Leo said, gently pulling the blanket closer around Raphael. "And I'm going to get you out of here, I promise."

* * *

_Michelangelo_

Don and Mikey quickly ran down the stairs, making sure that their footsteps would be heard.

Michelangelo's heart beat loudly in his ears, almost drowning out every other sound. He felt a familiar fear boil up inside him, making a thin sheen of sweat start to coat his body. He felt paranoid, certain that Diego was hiding in the shadows, watching them with his predatory eyes. He felt safer knowing that Donnie was with him and he wasn't alone, but he also knew that, if Diego did decide to confront them, they would be no match for his mind games.

Mikey stopped and quickly scanned the living room for anything important. Apart from a couple of strewn magazines and books, there was nothing. He followed Don into the kitchen, keeping watch as Don quickly stuffed his duffle bag with food and water.

"Come on, we need to search the bathroom- I have all of my medical supplies in there," Don spoke up.

"In...in the bathroom? I...I thought Leo was searching the top floor," Mikey stammered, hating how weak he sounded.

"He's searching the bedrooms. Besides, he might not pack everything I need. I am going to have to look over Raph's wound in the car, and I don't want to have left anything behind that I may need."

"Ok, let's be quick though," Mikey said, following Donnie back up the stairs.

Mikey wanted to close his eyes when he followed Donnie into the bathroom. Blood still stained the bath and the floor a sickening red. Mikey could still see his brother's body slumped haphazardly in the bath, his own weapon sticking out of his leg.

"You can wait outside, Mikey," Don murmured, catching his brother's horrified and scared eyes. "I will only be a minute."

"Ok," Mikey whispered, starting to back out of the bathroom when he caught sight of two piercing eyes staring hungrily back at him from the mirror.

Mikey's mouth went dry as a familiar, sadistic smile appeared in the mirror under the eyes. And then everything went black.

* * *

_Mikey was standing in the lair. It was eerily quiet and deserted. A strong smell assaulted his nostrils, thick and coiling-the smell of something rotting._

_He looked around wildly, his heart racing. Shadows shrouded the lair, the only light coming from a flickering light bulb in the kitchen._

"_Hello, Michelangelo,"_

_Mikey felt fear grip his heart and his legs started to shake._

_Diego stepped out of the shadows, a grin on his face. "It's been a while."_

"_What-what do you want?" Mikey stammered, lowering his eyes to the ground._

_Diego paused and tipped his head to the side. "Some fun, of course. It gets rather boring in Hell."_

_Mikey stiffened at the words, his breath catching in his throat._

"_You finally figured it out," Diego smiled, walking slowly around Michelangelo. "Who I am, what I can do."_

"_You're a demon," Mikey whispered, trying not to let his fear show._

"_Yep, that's me in a nutshell," Diego purred in Mikey's ear, making him shudder in fear and revulsion._

"_Why are you doing this to us?" Mikey asked, forcing himself to stop trembling. He had to be strong, for his brothers as well as himself. "Why won't you just leave us alone?"_

"_Because," Diego said, his cold eyes growing serious. "I'm sure your brother has told you all about me- how possession is my skill. Let's just say I'm tired of being in Hell. Let's just say, I need a new body- a real one, not this fake conjuration."_

_Mikey's breath hitched and he felt his heart stop beating, his eyes going wide with understanding. He knew what Diego wanted now, and he knew he wouldn't stop until he got it._

* * *

_Donatello_

Don turned around just in time to see his baby brother collapse unconscious and lay motionless on the floor.

"Mikey!" Dropping the various bottles of pills in his hands, he ran over to his fallen brother and knelt beside him, checking for a pulse. He was relieved to see that Mikey was still breathing.

"Mikey, Michelangelo, you need to wake up," Don said, gently shaking his brother. They were running out of time, he could feel a coldness starting to seep into the house.

Mikey suddenly jerked under Don's hands, his eyes shooting open as he quickly sat up, panting like he had just come back from a run.

"What is it, Mikey? What happened?" Donnie pressed, forcing Michelangelo to look him in the eye.

"I know what Diego wants," Mikey whispered, his blue eyes filled with fear. "We're running out of time. We need to get out of here, now, or we'll never escape him."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/n: **This is it guys, the final chapter! Man, has it been a journey writing this, I'm sad to see it come to a close. I'd like to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, favourite and followed this story- your encouragement and kind words mean a lot and have helped to fuel my Writing Fire. I'd like to especially thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Your eagerness to see what happens next was like gasoline to my Writing Fire, and I wrote this is just a little over an hour yesterday.

I really hope that you all enjoy this chapter, and I hope that I have tied up most/all the loose ends in this chapter. So please, take a seat, get comfortable, and enjoy :)

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**Chapter Twelve**

**April**

April shuddered and rubbed her arms. The temperature had suddenly dropped over the last hour, and April was afraid that if it got any colder she would be able to see her breath misting the air. Goose-bumps dappled her pale skin, making her wish that she had a coat with her. She knew she could easily go and get one from her room, but she didn't want to leave Raphael alone, even if it were only for a minute.

Leo had just left with Casey and Master Splinter, and Don and Mikey had been gone for almost fifteen minutes now. April wringed her hands in worry, and hoped that they were all safe, and would come to collect her and Raphael soon. Being here in this room unnerved her, and the fear of the unknown started to creep up on her.

April glanced down at Raphael. He hadn't spoken after his whispered apology to Leo, which had drained him of his energy. His skin was scarily pale, nearly all traces of green gone. Sweat sleeked his skin and he was starting to shiver despite the blankets that covered him. They needed to get him out of here now. He was losing too much blood, and April feared that if Donnie didn't do something about his leg soon, he would bleed to death right in front of her.

"Hold on, Raphael," April murmured, wrapping her hand around his. "Your brothers are going to get you out of this. It will all be over soon."

"Yes, I couldn't have said it better myself."

April froze in horror, a cold shiver racing down her spine. She held her breath as her body started to tremble. Slowly, ever so slowly, April turned around, her heart dropping to the pit of her stomach.

Diego smiled at her from the bottom of the doorway, crouched down on his stomach. He slowly slithered towards her, his eyes wide and his mouth open as he dislocated his limbs- bending his legs over his back like something in a grotesque horror movie.

April screamed, stumbling back against Raphael's bed in absolute terror, hoping that one of the guys would hear her and come to her rescue.

"You stay away from him!" April shouted, moving to stand directly in front of Raphael, who still appeared to be unconscious. April hated how her voice shook, she hated how weak and pathetic she looked, in front of this disgusting creature that was Diego- though she tried to be brave, for Raphael's sake.

Though, April reasoned, she was allowed to be terrified. This was the first time she had ever seen Diego before, and she really wished that it would be her last. He slowly rose to his feet, only a few metres away from her now, his bones clicking horribly as they popped back into place. He looked like the turtles, and could even pass off as one of them, if he really wanted too. His skin was a deep forest green, not quite as dark as Raphael's skin, but definitely darker than Leo's light leaf-green. What was once a white piece of cloth was tied around his eyes in a crude mask that was now the colour of the sky just before a thunderstorm. Scars marred his skin and chips were missing from his dark shell. But it was his eyes that frightened April the most. They were such a light grey, almost piercing white in their intensity, with small, snake-slit pupils. His teeth were slightly pointed, and his smile could shake the knees of the bravest man.

"And what are you going to do, exactly?" Diego asked, tipping his head questioningly to the side. "Kill me?"

April didn't know what to say. Glancing around, she saw Raphael's other sai on his bedside table. Picking up the weapon, which was heavier than April first thought, held it in front of her like a pitchfork. It felt strange holding Raphael's weapon, and April had no idea how to use it, but she felt safer with it in her hands. She briefly wondered if the turtles felt like that all the time.

"How cute," Diego smirked, taking a step closer to April, like a lion closing in on its kill. "Shiny."

"Stay back!" April yelled, waving the sai around just to make her point. "I'm not afraid to use this!"

"Really? You think an over-sized fork can kill me?" Diego asked, his smile disappearing. "I'm afraid it is going to take more than that, girl, a lot more."

And with that Diego lunged at April. Caught off guard, April cried out as she was dragged to the floor, the sai falling out of her hands and disappearing under the bed.

"Let me go!" April yelled, kicking out at Diego and struggling to squirm free from his tight grasp.

"Oh, no you don't," Diego huffed, his cold hand wrapping around April's throat. "You are of no use to me, your life means nothing." With strength that clearly was not human, Diego swung April around, her back hitting the wall painfully.

April gasped and struggled vainly as Diego held her pinned against the wall, his hand clasped tightly around her throat, suffocating her.

"No," she choked out; her feet kicking at the air desperately.

Diego grinned, watching gleefully as he slowly took away April's precious oxygen.

April felt her chest start to tighten painfully, white dots dancing in her vision. She knew she was about to pass out- she knew she was going to die.

"Let her go, you bastard."

Diego suddenly cried out in pain, dropping April heavily to the floor. April gasped for air, her hand rubbing her sore neck, which she knew would be coloured in an array of bruises a few hours later. Shaking away her dizziness, and sucking in mouthfuls of precious oxygen, April searched for what had caused Diego to let her go.

"Raphael!" She gasped in shock.

Raphael must have been woken from her screams. Despite his injured leg and chest, Raphael had managed to pick up his fallen sai that April had dropped under the bed, and crawled over to Diego. April now saw his sai sticking out of Diego's leg, the same way Diego had stabbed Raphael.

Thick, black blood ran down Diego's leg and dripped heavily onto the floor.

"Fool!" Diego hissed in pain, clutching his wounded leg. "Like I said before, you cannot kill me with your puny weapon!"

"Maybe not," Raphael puffed, looking like he was about to pass out at any second. "But I can give you some payback, you bastard."

Diego growled and launched himself at Raphael. He landed on top of him heavily, pinning him effortlessly to the ground. Raphael cried out in pain, and struggled vainly to push Diego off him.

Diego grinned and, bearing his teeth, bit Raphael's neck, hard. Raphael screamed as hot blood started to flow down his neck and pool onto the ground.

"Raphael, no!" April screamed, stumbling to her feet.

"Get off my brother!"

Leo appeared at the door, and April had never seen him looked so pissed in his life. He barrelled into Diego and knocked him off his brother and onto the ground.

"Prepare to die, demon," Leo hissed, reaching behind his shell for his sword.

Diego grinned back up at Leo, Raphael's blood staining his mouth. And then he disappeared, like mist on a hot morning.

Leo blinked in confusion, looking down at the empty space that seconds ago had been occupied by Diego.

"Leo, help!" April shouted, pushing aside her own confusion as she crouched down next to Raphael.

He had his hand pressed tightly against his neck. Blood welled through his fingers and trailed bloody rivulets down his arm.

"Fucking...demons," Raphael gasped his eyes hazy with pain.

"Hang on, Raph," Leo said gently, kneeling down at his brother's side. "We're getting you out of here."

Leo and April helped Raphael to his feet, supporting his weight between them. He couldn't put any pressure on his bad leg, which made it harder to carry him, but somehow they managed to get him down the stairs and out onto the front porch.

The others were waiting by the battle-shell, eyes wide and filled with shock when they saw Raphael.

"What happened?" Donnie demanded, rushing over to inspect his brother's wounds. "Where is Diego?"

"I don't know," Leo said grimly. "He disappeared."

"Well, let's get out of here before he shows up again," Don said firmly.

Together, they got Raphael into the battle-shell and laid him down across the back seat. Casey jumped into the driver's seat and started the engine. Don crouched beside Raphael, rummaging through the bag of medical supplies he had gotten from the bathroom.

"What is it, Donnie?" Leo asked, seeing the worry shine in Don's eyes as they pulled away from the farm house and out onto the highway.

"Mikey was attacked by Diego," Don murmured.

Leo whirled around to inspect his little brother for injury.

"I'm fine, he didn't hurt me," Mikey assured him.

"He may not have hurt him, but he did tell Mikey what it was that he wanted," Don said grimly.

"And what's that?" Leo asked.

"A body."

Raphael groaned from the back seat and sat up, clutching his stomach in pain. He felt like he was going to be sick.

"Hang on, Raph, lie down," Don instructed, turning his back to Raphael to rummage through his medical bag again.

Raphael's eyes started to flicker in the fading light before turning completely black. Slowly, ever so slowly, he pulled the sai that was still embedded in his thigh, not making a sound as he pulled the blood-soaked weapon completely out of his mangled leg. The metal shone wickedly in the fading sunlight and dripped scarlet blood onto the floor. Leaning closer to his unsuspecting brothers, who still had their backs turned; Raphael felt a cold shiver of anticipation run down his spine. Angling the sharp tip of his sai, Raphael leaned forward, a dark, sinister smile slowly curling his lips…

…_End?_

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**A/n: **I know what you all must be thinking, and yes, I am sorry for the cliffy! But never fear, as the question mark indicates, there will be one more, final story- an epic conclusion to this demonic tale. **Drag Me Down **will be the last story, where you will receive any and all questions you may have. So, if you do have a question, leave a review or PM me and I will work to make sure that it is answered in the final instalment.

Thank you all for reading and sticking it out all the way to the very end :)

~Cat


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